This invention relates to a security system and method for monitoring security in the vicinity of a location perimeter. The invention is applicable to a residence for providing a warning signal to the resident indicating whether an intruder has been detected over a given time period. The warning signal is readily perceived by the resident from a distance, so that the resident is not required to leave the relative safety of an automobile or friends before encountering a potentially dangerous condition. If no intruder has been detected, the invention automatically triggers operation of one or more preselected electrical accessories associated with the home. The accessories may be an automatic door opener, floodlights, kitchen appliances, garage doors, interior lights, outdoor lights, and the like.
The invention addresses the problem of home security, and the increasing concern for personal safety of those living in both urban and rural areas. An individual is especially susceptible to attack by an intruder from the time he or she leaves an automobile, or a group of friends, up to the time he or she enters the home and re-locks the door. Several factors add to the vulnerability of the resident. For example, the intruder generally cannot be seen by the resident or neighbors prior to attacking. The resident often has arms filled with grocery bags, a handbag, a brief case, or the like, prior to entering the home, and cannot easily escape or defend against the intruder. In addition, the intruder may hide in nearby trees or shrubbery, and wait until after the resident has unlocked the door before staging his attack and entering the home.
Some alarms of the prior art, when triggered, emit a relatively loud sound or bright light intended to frighten the intruder, but turn off after a relatively short time. Other alarms are triggered only in response to some physical contact with the exterior or interior of the home. The such devices are generally inadequate for warning the resident, and deterring an intruder and potential attack prior to entering the home.